Chikara – The Sequential Art Experiment

Chikara would finish out the year with an event many say may have been once-in-a-lifetime. Joshi puro is Japanese for female wrestling and JoshiMania was a three-day event hosted by Chikara in the United States. In the last twenty years of wrestling, female Japanese wrestlers have been considered perhaps the most innovative wrestlers in the world. In the harsh environment of professional wrestling, the hardest position is that of a female wrestler and the Japanese audience is arguably the most scrutinizing audience of the sport on Earth. In order to deserve a place among the male-dominated world of wrestling, women simply had to work harder and as such produced some of the sport’s finest matches and performers. Today, male Japanese wrestlers copy moves and techniques employed by female Japanese wrestlers and the male Japanese wrestlers spread these moves across the globe. Chikara is one of the few promotions on Earth that allows women to wrestle men as equals. JoshiMania came about when Chikara was approached by Itzuki Yamazaki of the Jumping Bomb Angels who had retired to New York City and whose son turned her on to the American promotion.

Itzuki Yamazaki contacted Chikara about doing a showcase of female Japanese wrestlers in the US because she never felt any other company would be a proper fit for such an event in the country. JoshiMania drew female wrestlers from six different Japanese promotions (which is virtually unheard of, several of these offices actually closed that weekend because so much of their star talent was involved), some in semi-retirement, some retired soon after, and others the up-and-comers of Japan. Mentioned earlier, one of Mike Quackenbush’s greatest inspirations is Manami Toyota, likely the greatest female wrestler in history (one of the best wrestlers regardless of gender, for that matter). Toyota had done some work with Chikara prior and helped spread word of the promotion in Japan. She came to compete in the event alongside other legends like Aja Kong and Mayumi Ozaki as well as greats like Mio Shirai and Ayako Hamada. Likely the biggest winner in all of this was Sara Del Ray who got to wrestle her idols, even defeating joshi giants Kong and Hamada. Chikara’s DVDs are region free, meaning that for those around the world who couldn’t make the trip to see the extravaganza could view them regardless of what region their DVD player is affixed with (something of paramount importance because an event like this has not even happened in Japan), and the event was pressed and ready to ship less than forty eight hours after the final day of the occasion.

By 2012, Chikara had developed quite the myriad of villainous stables. From Sweet ‘n’ Sour International to the Kings of Wrestling to the Order of the Neo-Solar Temple to Dr. Cube’s Posse to the UnStable to Die Bruderschaft des Kreuze, every season or so a new threat emerged more dangerous than the last. Season eleven would prove to be no exception. The year started out with UltraMantis Black handing over the Eye of Tyr to Sinn Bodhi to finally be rid of him. However, it was revealed what he turned over was a fake, keeping the real artifact in order to release Delirious from its power. His mind clear, Delirious took the Eye and shattered it. Later, Dr. Cube’s minions were seen collecting its shards. Delirious (with a newfound capability for coherent speech) would later proclaim he remembered every moment under the thrall of the BDK and he vowed he would exact vengeance on Black with two years of suffering to match the time he had lost. Delirious organized his own group made up of the Batiri and Ophidian in a feud with the Spectral Envoy (which would come to include Blind Rage). Their war would rage throughout the year (Delirious crushing Black’s various attempts to finally win a championship), with the Spectral Envoy coming out on top come year’s end defeating Delirious’ group.

Season eleven would see the ascent of Archibald Peck (aka Marchie Archie), a marching band leader who emerged the previous year with an impressive record. His first match in 2011 was against Eddie Kingston, who the band leader viewed as “the biggest dog in the yard,” where Kingston hit Peck with his signature move the Backfist to the Future. According to Peck, the blow actually sent him into the future to the year 2015. There, Peck read a sports almanac about Chikara effectively knowing what was going to happen in his own future. Peck would lose his match against Kingston but from then on had a nearly undefeated streak. His turn of good fortune, however, ran into a bit of bad luck. Marchie Archie was too old to enter the Young Lions Cup, but his lawyer R.D. Evans (played by the same performer) managed to get him in regardless. However, Peck would be defeated in the semi-finals. From there, Peck would be beaten later by UltraMantis Black and Colt Cabana. 2012 started with a losing streak for Peck, his valet Veronica leaving him for newcomer “Mr. Touchdown” Mark Angelosetti (a Wrestle Factory graduate). Peck changed his gimmick to Mixed Martial Archie but he still continued to lose. Peck would fight Angelosetti (who had joined the Throwbacks) in a loser leaves Chikara match at the promotion’s second iPPV Chikarasaurus Rex (a tag match, Peck joined by Cabana and Angelosetti with Dasher Hatfield). During the course of the match, Peck went to the back as Mixed Martial Archie and returned as Marchie Archie. Inevitably, Peck would be pinned and forced to leave Chikara.